Cargo handling apparatus



y 21,1968 I cvs. COCHRAN 3,384,246

' CARGO HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 5:, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEYS May 21, 1968 c. s. COCHRAN CARGO HANDLING APPARATUS 4Sheets-Sheet f INVENTOR fifiar/z 6: Caci azz ATTORNEYS May 21, 1968 c.s. COCHRAN CARGO HANDLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 9, 1967Nmx m ww INVENTOR W w Q2 ATTORNEYS May 21, 1968 c. s. COCHRAN CARGOHANDLING APPARATUS INVENTOR 6%afl/z S bcfiwam B /4 4 gal )flm 4Sheets-Sh 4 Filed March 9.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,384,246 CARGO HANDLING APPARATUSCharlie S. Cochran, Newport News, Va., assignor to Newport NewsShipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Va., a corporation ofVirginia Filed Mar. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 621,957 Claims. (Cl. 2123)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A boom including a head portion and a heelportion is mounted for substantially universal movement at the heelportion thereof and is adapted to swing between a pair of spacedkingposts. A cargo fall support means in the form of a sleeve isrotatably mounted at the head portion of the boom and is axially fixedrelative thereto. The cargo fall means includes an upper purchase blockmeans pivotally supported by the cargo fall support means and a lowerpurchase block means. A cargo fall cable is reeved around the upper andlower purchase block means and includes a pair of hoisting leads. Afirst pair of guide sheaves are swivelly supported above the headportion of the boom and laterally thereof. A second pair of guidesheaves are swivelly supported at the outer ends of a guide supportmeans including portions extending outwardly from the cargo fall supportmeans. The guide support means is secured to the cargo fall supportmeans for turning movement therewith. Each of the hoisting leads of thecargo fall cable are reeved through one of said first pair of guidesheaves and one of said second pair of guide sheaves, the arrangementbeing such that the hoisting leads and the remaining portions of thecargo fall cable will not become fouled as the boom moves into differentoperative positions and swings through between the spaced kingposts.Stop means includes a pair of pins fixed with respect to the boom whichengage a rib formed on the cargo fall support means for limitingrelative rotation of the cargo fall support means in opposite directionswith respect to the boom.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a heavylift boom as used on shipboard of the type wherein the boom swingsthrough between a pair of spaced kingposts for operation with more thanone hatch.

Various arrangements have been provided in the prior art to enable aheavy lift boom on shipboard to operate with a hatch disposed eitherfore or aft of the boom. In order to successfully enable the boom to sooperate, it is necessary to provide some sort of an arrangement wherebythe boom can be swung through a plane defined by the spaced kingposts.

United States Patent No. 3,110,403 is directed to such an arrangementwherein a cargo fall support means is movably mounted at the headportion of the boom to enable the cargo fall means to be supported atopposite sides of the boom for operation both fore and aft of the heelof the boom. This type of arrangement employs a single hoisting leadthereby seriously limiting the speed of operation of the apparatus, andfurther requires the utilization of relatively large expensive winchmechanism.

When employing two hoisting leads with cargo handling apparatus asillustrated in this aforementioned US. patent, the hoisting leads wouldnot clear the boom and each other and would tend to become fouled andtwisted during swinging of the boom into its various operativepositions.

An additional disadvantage of the arrangement as shown in theaforementioned US. patent is the fact that 3,384,246 Patented May 21,1968 the hoisting winch is necessarily positioned remote from the heelof the boom since a certain amount of hoisting lead is required betweenthe winch and the first adjacent fairlead over which the hoisting leadis reeved.

United States Patent No. 2,924,193 also discloses a heavy lift boomadapted to be swung between a pair of kingposts. This arrangementemploys a pair of hoisting leads, but in order to swing the boom throughbetween the kingposts, it is necesary to raise the lower purchase blockinto snug engagement with the upper purchase block and then to causethese purchase blocks to tumble through between the spaced arms at theupper end of the boom. This operation is of course time consuming andfurther causes the boom and the upper and lower purchase blocks to beheavily loaded when swinging through between the kingposts.

Summary of the invention In the present invention, the cargo fallsupport means which supports the upper and lower purchase blocks ismovably mounted at the head portion of the boom, and a pair of hoistingleads are provided in the cargo fall cable so as to enable the apparatusto be operated at maximum speed. Additionally, smaller winches may beemployed resulting in a lower initial cost and further presenting theadvantage of providing a reserve winch in case one of the winches shouldbe disabled.

The hoisting leads are reeved over first and second pairs of guidesheaves which are so mounted with respect to the head portion of theboom that they will automatically move into position as the boom ismoved about so that the hoisting leads of the cargo fall cable as wellas the remaining portion thereof do not become fouled regardless of theposition of the boom, thereby enabling the boom to be moved into anydesired operative relationship and permitting the cargo fall means to beefiectively operated.

By having the hoisting leads extending down through the kingposts, thehoisting winches can be disposed closely adjacent to the heel of theboom which is a very desirable arrangement.

The apparatus is also provided with stop means which automaticallylimits rotation of the cargo fall support means in opposite directionsrelative to the head of the boom thereby insuring that the movable guidesheaves will always be retained in proper relationship to one another sothat no f-ouling occurs between any portions of the cargo fall cable andthe remaining components of the apparatus including the upper and lowerpurchase block means.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and novel cargohandling apparatus adapted to operate at maximum speed with the use ofrelatively small winches, and wherein the cargo fall cable and thehoisting leads thereof will not foul with the boom or one another or anyof the adjacent components during operation of the apparatus in any ofits various operative positions.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a front elevation partlybroken away illustrating the cargo handling apparatus of the presentinvention with the boom in a substantially vertical position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 with the boom inan inclined position;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view on an enlarged scale of the headportion of the boom illustrating the relative position of the componentsin one inclined position of the boom;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the position of thecomponents in a second inclined position of the boom; i

FIG. 5 is a top perspective exploded view of the components disposed atthe head portion of the boom;

FIG. 6 is a view taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 2 looking thedirection of the arrows; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 77 of FIG. 6looking in the direction of the arrows.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawingswherein like reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, the upper deck of a ship is indicatedgenerally by reference numeral 10, a winch housing 12 being supported onthis upper deck. It should be understood that the usual ships gear forloading and discharging cargo may also be mounted on or adjacent to thewinch house, such conventional gear having been eliminated for the sakeof clarity in order that the heavy lift boom mechanism may be moreclearly understood.

A pair of kingposts 14 and 16 extend upwardly from the winch house, thekingposts being spaced a part athwartships and being of a symmetricaltapered configuration. As seen most clearly in FIG. 1, a pair oflaterally inwardly projecting brackets 18 and 20 are supported bykingposts 14 and 16 respectively. A pair of topping lift lead blocks 22and 24 are swivelly supported by the outer ends of brackets 18 and 20respectively, these topping lift lead blocks receiving the topping liftcables hereinafter described.

A head 30 is rotatably mounted at the upper end of kingpost 14 androtatably supports a sheave 32. A block 34 is pivotally connected tohead 30 and rotatably supports topping lift sheaves 36. In a similarmanner, a head 38 is rotatably mounted at the upper end of kingpost 16and rotatably supports a sheave 40'. A block 42 is pivotally connectedto head 38 and rotatably supports topping lift sheaves 44.

A heavy lift boom is indicated generally by reference numeral 50, thisboom including a heel portion indicated generally by reference numeral52 which is mounted for substantially universal movement within a boompedestal 54. The construction of the heel portion of the boom as well asthe boom pedestal arrangement may be substantially the same as thatshown in U.S. Patent 3,110,403 previously referred to.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 5, the upper end of boom 50 isprovided with a reduced end portion 60, an annular shoulder 62 beingdefined between this reduced end portion and the remainder of the boom.A cylindrical bore 64 is provided through the upper end of the reducedend portion of the boom.

Cargo fall support means is indicated generally by reference numeral 70and comprises a substantially cylindrical body portion 72 which isadapted to fit about the reduced end portion 60 of the boom. The lowerend of cylindrical body portion 72 is adapted to rest on the shoulder 62on the boom so that the cargo fall support means can rotate with respectto the boom, and yet at the same time is axially fixed with respectthereto as Will hereinafter more fully appear.

A pair of spaced ears 74 as seen most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4 areformed integral with and extend outwardly of the body portion 72, eachof these cars having a hole 74 formed therethrough as seen in FIG. 5.

A rib member 78 formed integral with the body portion 72 extendsoutwardly thereof and furthermore extends longitudinally of the bodyportion. This rib member serves as a stop means as hereinafterdescribed.

Guide support means is indicated generally by reference numeral 80, thisguide support means being secured to body portion 72 for movementtherewith as by welding or the like. This guide support means includesportions 82 and 84 extending in substantially opposite directions fromopposite sides of the boom, suitable attaching means 86 and 88 such aseye bolls or the like being secured at the outer ends of portions 82 and84.

Topping lift attachment means is indicated generally by referencenumeral 90 and includes a body means 92 having a socket 94 formedtherein and opening in a downward direction, this socket being seen mostclearly in FIG. 7 and being adapted to snugly receive the upper end ofthe reduced end portion 60 of the boom. Body means 92 has a pair ofholes 96 and 98 formed in opposite sides thereof and in communicationwith the socket 94. A pin 100 fits through aligned holes 96 and 98 asWell as hole 64 formed in the upper reduced end of the boom for rigidlysecuring the topping lift attachment means to the upper end of the boom.It is apparent that any suitable means may be provided for securing thetopping lift attachment means in position.

Topping lift attachments means 90 includes oppositely directed ears 104and 106 having holes 108 and 110 formed therethrough.

The topping lift attachment means also includes integral laterallyextending arcuate portions 114 and 116 having pins 118 and 120 supportedwithin suitable holes provided therein and fixedly secured thereto,these pins extending downwardly beneath the undersurface of portions 114and 116 to serve as stop means in cooperation with the rib 78 previouslydescribed as hereinafter set forth.

A first support means indicated generally by reference numeral extendsupwardly from the upper surface of the topping lift attachment means,this support means being directed obliquely to the axis of the boom andlaterally outwardly thereof and including an arm 132 extending normallytherefrom. A suitable attaching means such as an eye bolt 134 is securedto the outer end of arm 132 in depending relationship therefrom.

A similar support means extends upwardly from the topping liftattachment means, support means 140 also extending upwardly andoutwardly of the boom at an oblique angle to the boom axis and includinga normally extending arm portion 142 having a suitable attaching meanssuch as an eye bolt 144 depending from the outer end thereof.

A first pair of guide sheaves and 152 are swivelly connected withattaching means 134 and 144 respectively, and a second pair of guidesheaves 154 and 156 are swivelly connected with the attaching means 86and 88 previously described.

The cargo fall means includes a link member 160 pivotally supported upona pin 162 extending between the ears 74 on the cargo fall support means.Link 160 serves to pivotally support an upper purchase block indicatedgenerally by reference numeral 164 and having a plurality of sheaves 166rotatably supported thereby, and as illustrated three sheaves are shown.It is apparent that any suitable number of sheaves may be employed asrequired.

The cargo fall means also includes a lower purchase block 168 having aplurality of sheaves 170 rotatably supported thereby, and in a typicalexample four sheaves 170 may be provided, although the number of sheavesmay be varied as desired. A suitable cargo hook 172 is pivotallysupported by the lower purchase block.

The cargo fall means also includes a cargo fall cable which is reevedabout the sheaves of the upper and lower purchase blocks and whichfurther includes a pair of hoisting leads 182 and 184. Hoisting lead 182as seen most clearly in FIG. 1 is reeved over guide sheave 154 as wellas guide sheave 150 and thence downwardly over sheave 32. Hoisting lead182 then extends downwardly through a passage formed in kingpost 14 andover a sheave 192 to a hoisting winch 194.

The other hoisting lead 184 is reeved over guide sheaves 156 and 152 andthence downwardly over sheave 40. Hoisting lead 184 then extendsdownwardly through a passage 196 formed in kingpost 16 and over a sheave198 to hoisting winch 200. It will be noted that both of hoistingwinches 194 and 200 are positioned closely adjacent to the heel portionof the boom.

A block 210 rotatably supports topping lift sheaves 212, block 210 beingswivelly interconnected with the ear 104 of the topping lift attachmentmeans as by a chain or link member 214. A topping lift cable 218 isreeved around the topping lift sheaves 36 and 212, and passes downwardlyover the topping lift lead block 22 to a topping winch 220.

A block 224 rotatably supports topping lift sheaves 226, block 224 beingswivelly connected with ear 106 of the topping lift attachment means bya chain or link member 228. A second topping lift cable 230 is reevedabout the topping lift sheaves 44 and 226, and passes downwardly overthe topping lift lead block 24 to a topping winch 232.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a pendant or other suitable eans may beattached to the cargo hook, this pendant being indicated by a phantomline 240, the pendant being passed through a suitable guide means suchas a padeye 242 secured to the upper surface of the winch housing 12.This pendant may be employed for rotating the cargo fall support meanswhen the boom is in a substantially vertical position when it is desiredto pass the boom through between the kingposts. In other words, thecargo hook is swung around between the boom and the adjacent kingpoststo cause the components at the head of the boom to switch position foroperation with a dilferent hatch.

In the operative position as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, it will benoted that the cargo fall means is pivotally supported at one side ofthe boom with the stop rib 78 of the cargo fall support means inengagement with pin 120 so as to limit rotation of the cargo fallsupport means in one direction with respect to the boom. The guidesheaves are automatically moved into the operative position as seen inthese figures.

When it is desired to swing the boom through for Operation with a hatchat the other side of the kingposts, the boom is firstly swung into thevertical position shown in FIG. 1, whereupon a pendant is attached tothe cargo hook and the cargo fall support means is rotated through anangle of substantially 180. The boom may then be lowered on the otherside of the kingposts into the operative position shown in FIG. 4wherein the stop rib 78 of the cargo fall support means will be inengagement with pin 118, and the cargo fall means wiil be supported atthe opposite side of the boom. The guide sheaves again automaticallymove into the position illustrated in this figure since the lower pairof guide sheaves 154 and 156 have been reversed in relationship to theboom since the guide support means 80 turns with the cargo fall supportmeans.

As these various components shift from one operative position toanother, the arrangement is such that the cargo fall cable including thepair of hoisting leads thereof do not foul with one another or with anyof the other components of the apparatus so that the components of thestructure may readily move into proper operative position regardless ofthe position of the boom with respect to the kingposts.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided according tothe present invention a new and novel cargo handling apparatus employinga pair of hoisting leads which enables the apparatus to be operated atmaximum speed with the use of relatively small winches. The two pairs ofguide sheaves ensure that the hoisting leads will not foul with theremainder of the cargo fall cable or any of the remaining components ofthe apparatus during operation regardless of the relative position ofthe boom with respect to the kingposts of the mast structure.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changesthat fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form theirfunctional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are thereforeintended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. Cargo handling apparatus comprising a mast structure, a boom having aheel portion and a head portion, means mounting the heel portion of theboom for substantially universal movement, topping lift means con nectedbetween said mast structure and said boom for moving the boom relativeto the mast structure, cargo fall support means movably mounted at thehead portion of the boom, cargo fall means supported by said cargo fallsupport means and including upper purchase block means, lower purchaseblock means and a cargo fall cable reeved around said upper and lowerpurchase block means, said cargo fall cable including a pair of hoistingleads, support means fixedly secured to the head portion of said boom, afirst pair of guide sheaves movably supported by said support means, asecond pair of guide sheaves movably supported laterally outwardly ofsaid boom by said cargo fall support means and spaced a substantialdistance from said first pair of guide sheaves, each of said hoistingleads being reeved over one of said first pair of guide sheaves and oneof said second pair of guide sheaves, whereby during operation of theapparatus, the hoisting leads and the remaining portions of the cargofall cable do not become fouled.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cargo fall support meansis mounted for rotation with respect to said boom and is axially fixedrelative thereto, said topping lift means being connected with a toppinglift attachment means fixedly secured to the head portion of the boom.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 including guide support meansconnected for rotation with said cargo fall support means, said guidesupport means including portions extending outwardly from opposite sidesof said boom, said second pair of guide sheaves being movably supportedat opposite end portions of said guide support means.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 including stop means for limitingrotation of said cargo fall support means in opposite directions ofrotation relative to said boom.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said stop means includes atleast one stop member fixed with respect to said boom, said cargo fallsupport means including a stop member formed thereon and engageable withsaid first-mentioned stop member for positively limiting rotation of thecargo fall support means with respect to said boom.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said boom includes a pair ofsubstantially diametrically opposite stop members supported thereby, thestop member on said cargo fall support means being engageable with eachof the stop members supported by the boom.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first pair of guidesheaves are supported above and laterally outwardly of the head portionof the boom.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said topping lift means isconnected with topping lift attachment means fixedly secured to the headportion of the boom, said cargo fall support means being mounted forrotation with respect to the boom and being axially fixed relativethereto, said boom and said cargo fall support means includinginterengageable stop means for limiting relative rotation of said cargofall support means with respect to said boom, said first pair of guidesheaves being swivelly mounted above and laterally outwardly of saidtopping lift attachment means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 including guide support means securedto said cargo fall support means for movement therewith, said guidesupport means in- 7 8 cluding portions extending outwardly from oppositesides References Cited of the boom, said second pair of guide sheavesbeing UNITED STATES PATENTS swivelled to the outer ends of saidoppositely extending portions of the guide support means. 3,236,3902/1966 Sprengel 212-3 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein saidupper r purchase block means is pivotally supported by said cargo oFOREIGN PATENTS fall support means for pivotal movement about a pivot937,115 9/19 at Britain.

axis, said outwardly extending portions of the guide support meansextending in a direction substantially parallel EVON BLUNK lmmy Exam"with said pivot axis. 10 H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner.

